HSE in talks with hotels to secure extra beds during coronavirus outbreak
The HSE has confirmed it is in talks with hotels to identify additional beds to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
So far there have been 70 confirmed cases of COVID19 in the Republic, while one person has died.
The HSE would not be drawn on how many beds it is hoping to secure in preparation for widespread community transmission.
But CEO Paul Reid has confirmed that they are in talks with hotels that could be used as isolation units.
"We have had very significant offers from the hotel sector, and various organisations in that sector that can offer and that gives us great contingency."
The HSE has written to all staff who have retired in the last four years asking if they would be willing to come back at this critical time.
Clinical operations officer Anne O'Conner said that all staff who can be redeployed have been.
She added: "We are deploying clinical staff so on a daily basis side by side decisions are being made to redeploy staff to where they are most needed."
The HSE has also made an appeal to corporate employers to allow staff with children to work at home so that if their spouses work in the health system, they can continue to go to work.
